Eli
by Twilight Writing Contest
Summary: Entry 17: By JordanMorgan.UleyCullen.xoxo "Excerpt from 'Monster'; Mostly OC's."


**A/N: Excerpt from MoNsTeR.**

Eli

_October 20th, 2002._

"Jordaaaaaaaaaaan! I need some fooooooooood!"

The voice caused me to jump, toothpaste spitting out all over my hand as my hand tightened on the tube. I sighed and scrubbed it off, mumbling complaints to myself about Nicole and her obnoxious demands. Yeah, I was home again. Yeah, I was her little sister again. But no, that did not mean she could boss me around all the time.

"No! You have arms for a reason, use them!" I huffed and looked in the mirror at my straight-out-of-bed appearance before adding under my breath, "For once."

A moment later Nicole appeared in the bathroom door. Her icy blue eyes were outlined with make up, lashes curled, hair waved and slightly uneven but shining as it caught the light of the bathroom. Her outfit looked as if she'd spent hours of playing dress up to put it together; everything went together perfectly. Almost _too _perfectly. I shook my head, hoping that when I turned another year, I wouldn't turn out all girly like her. While assessing her picky appearance, I missed the glare in her eyes.

"What's the occasion?" I asked harmlessly.

Nicole lifted a small book, a notebook with my name scrawled across the front. "Just thought I might get rid of this." She flipped the page open, her eyes scanning the words. "It's like a diary, and there's nothing interesting in it. Looks like trash to me."

"Hey! GIVE IT BACK!" My fingers released the tube of toothpaste as I hurled myself at her, swiping my hand as I tried to snatch the booklet out of her grip.

Nicole's lips formed a smirk. She laughed, snapping the book shut before turning and dashing down the hall. "Will you make me my breakfast _now_?" She called half-jokingly while rounding the corner

I sprinted after her, hopping over household things strewn across the floor. "No! Get it yourself!"

"Then I guess you don't really want it that much!" She looked over her shoulder and winked before blowing a kiss at me and darting into the kitchen.

I groaned and gritted my teeth together lightly, following after her. For this one, I was going to get her good. I'd grown just as tall as her, despite the one year age difference. Our skin tone and eyes had stayed the same, but her hair took on more wave while mine straightened out. I guessed this was why she was bothering me; I was as normal as normal (for me) gets, and she was jealous of my looks. Jealous or not, I would still get her back for this.

I was too deep in thought to realize Sam was standing right in front of me. My breath was pushed out of me in an awkward "oof" as I slammed into his chest and stumbled backwards.

His hand reached out slowly to steady me. "You all right?"

"Yeah. . ." I allowed my voice to trail off, feeling dazed and confused.

"It's okay honey," Sam murmured to me. He lifted my hands for me, placing the diary firmly in my palms. "Let's get you some breakfast. You seem a little shaky."

My shoulders relaxed as I felt the cool, bumpy booklet in my hands. I made sure to flash a smug smile past Sam and at Nicole. She replied in a huff, stomping upstairs. Most likely she was going to do her hair. For the fifth time today.

I spun on my heel and slipped into the kitchen. Sam was standing on the counter, eyes focused and lips moving as he spoke softly to himself. He was pouring cereal into a bowl, one hand clenched on the half gallon of milk. I couldn't help but stare at the shake in his arms and the black tattoo on his arm.

The tattoo was something I'd noticed earlier in the week. I was used to Sam being tall and muscled and feeling as if he'd ran a fever for a very long time. But I have to admit that when I first noticed that while I was gone he'd painted a tattoo on his arm, I had stared a little. I wasn't scared of him, no. But just the shape, multiple slimmed faces of what seemed to be dogs, all in black ink, seemed intimidating to me. I tried my best not to stare now as he worked, and forced myself to watch his expression.

"Aren't you little Miss Mysterious today," Sam mused so quietly it seemed like he was talking to himself.

I raised an eyebrow, propping my elbows on the table and leaning my chin on my palms. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Sam smiled to himself, letting his eyes dart to me before settling back down onto the cereal as he added bits of fruit into it. "You've been dead silent all week, but now you seem pretty jumpy. Nicole woke you up, did she?"

"No." I laughed a little, shaking my head. Sam was probing me. He might not be straight out rude about trying to get answers out of me, but it still was obvious he was curious. Today was the day that I was to go out with Eli and I guess I was a little jumpy. I couldn't hide it forever, and now seemed like a good time to bring up the subject.

"Daddy. . . I'm going out tonight."

Sam cocked an eyebrow, keeping his eyes down. "Paul is finally coming out of his shell, is he?"

"No Daddy. I mean with a boy from school."

Sam was silent. His body froze other than his hand. His fingers jerked open, the spoon in his hand clattering to the ground. He whipped around, hands braced on the counter, his chocolate brown eyes as big as saucers. "You mean. . . A date?"

My lips curled upwards slightly in response while my fingers drummed against the top of the counter. "Do you count biking as a date?"

"Are you gonna be alone?" Sam asked, ignoring my question.

I hesitated. ". . . Yeah?"

"THEN IT IS A DATE!" Sam groaned, slapping his hands on his head. He tugged at his short hair. "WHY?"

I kept staring. Someone normal probably would've jumped at least, if not be sprinting for the door due to the boom of his voice and heat that seemed to seep out of him. I watched him steadily without even flinching, but my eyes widened at how upset he seemed to be. "Why not? I liked this boy for a long time and when I was out he asked me to come back and asked me to go biking with him." I explained slowly but smoothly, hoping to calm him down. "Nothing really horrible now, is it?"

Sam's nostrils flared as he let out a breath, the steam fading off of his expression. He cleared his throat, his tone softening as he watched me. "Just. . . Be safe, okay honey?"

I blinked and stared at him with a bewildered expression. These mood swings were starting to become a serious problem. Not to mention his assumptions. "Sam, I'm only thirteen. . ."

"Not yet."

"Close enough but still. . ."

". . . Too soon?"

I gave him a joking smile. "Just a little."

Sam was silent for a moment. He let the awkward silence hang between us for a moment, his eyes cast out the window as if he was distracted. I continued to watch him, trying not to laugh.

Eventually, Sam cleared his throat. "Well. . . Let's get you girls to school, okay?" He paused, sucking in a deep breath and relaxing his quivering hands. "And if you aren't home by seven, I'll be out with my shotgun, fully loaded, and that boy better be fast."

I grinned at Sam's threat, jerking into a straight posture. "'Okay!" I hurried towards the door, my stomach filled of butterflies while my breakfast lay forgotten on the counter.

*.*.*.*

That afternoon couldn't have come faster. I caught Eli's glances followed by warm smiles in the hallways, smiling slightly at the winks and "accidental" run-ins between had made my week fly by. Other than the 'are you stupid' looks Jacob and Nicole kept giving me, everything was going great, at the least. I didn't need their approval to be happy. I'd liked Eli for a while and now he seemed to be returning the feeling. What was so bad about that?

The thought was always pushed away, no matter how frequently it popped into my mind. Today my only concern was to calm down. My stomach was still knotted, as it had been all day long. It took forever for that final five minutes of my last class to pass. I tapped my pencil and chewed my lip until I thought I might just explode with anticipation. Then, finally, the bell had rang and I'd shot out of room before anybody else had even stood up.

Now, I fumbled through my locker, humming softly to myself. Humming had grown to be a habit, one that distracted my mind but kept it moving at the same time. I hummed and muttered softly while I searched through my locker for my homework. I just couldn't find it. But then again, it was just a weekend. I wouldn't even remember anyway. After giving up, I lifted my gaze and pushed the final book in place, closing the door.

There he stood.

Eli was leaning against the pale locker, casual and cute at the same time. His bangs flopped over his forehead, glimmering with droplets of rain. He showed his white teeth in a grin as I looked at him and jumped in surprise.

"Hey hot stuff," He greeted, giving me a playful wink.

I laughed and shook my head him, forcing myself to meet his gaze. "How's it going?"

Eyes bright with amusement, Eli slung an arm over my shoulder, guiding me to the door almost impatiently. "Great, now that you're goin' home with me."

I forced the heat away from my face and wrapped an arm around him as we walked down the hall. Stares seemed to be glued right at the spot where the sides of our bodies touched. As I glanced around, I noticed the faces of the other kids in my grade turn blank as if they were simply staring off into space, or trying to act like they weren't staring, before shuffling over to a friend and starting to whisper.

"Jealousy is awful contagious, don't ya think?" Eli muttered in my ear. He drew my attention only to him as he talked, just with the smooth way he spoke. No hesitating, no stumbling, just a deep flow of sound; almost enchanting.

"Agreed," I murmured back. "Looks like I got some real competition, huh?" My gaze darted to a girl who was staring at us as we headed for the door. Her hair was as dull black and dead as the chipping lockers behind her, while her murky brown eyes didn't flinch when I met her stare. She kept looking at me with wide eyes, her two front teeth teeth poking out over her bottom lip.

"Chipmunk?" Eli continued to walk but angled his head the give a quick glance at the creepy girl behind us. A moment later, he chuckled, keeping me from replying. "Nah, I think I'm good with what I got." His grip tightened slightly, pulling me closer to his side as the pressure of all the stares lifted. I couldn't help but smile.

We stepped quickly up the steps together, in a rhythm. I reached forward to shove open the wide doors, raising an eyebrow and trying to keep my lips from forming a smile. The twitching movement they made must have given that away though, as Eli laughed. I couldn't help but grin as he did and slid back a step away from him, fearlessly slipping my fingers into his. He winked at me again and carefully led me down the sidewalk, away from the school.

The rain pattered from the sky, partnered with the late October chill. I shivered as Eli and I walked hand in hand down the sidewalk, slicked with sheets of rain that rushed down the hill and crashed into our feet. The wind screamed in our faces, drowning out the drone of engines on the road. Typical gorgeous weather of the reservation.

I shivered violently, pulling my sweatshirt tighter around me with my free hand. Now I was regretting not wearing a coat, but if we were just going to go out and get all muddy what was the point in wearing it? My fingers curled into my sweatshirt to fight off the cold as I struggled to come up with a good reason.

Eli recognized this and frowned, his mouth moving. The words were lost in the currents of wind and I couldn't hear them. I tilted my head, mouthing for him to repeat himself. He shook his head and lifted a free hand, pushing his hood back and ripping off a fluffy hat from his head. With a smile, he dropped it on my freezing hand and slipped his hood back up, hiding his face away.

Another smile spread across my face in response to his offer. My skin felt tight with the cold, aching with my smile, but I couldn't stop myself. For a second, I dropped his hand to slip the puffy hat over my ears and on top of my head. Instantly I could feel the difference.

"Thanks," I murmured to Eli. I reached up and drew the strings from his sweatshirt out, watching it shrink around his face. With a laugh I tied the strings in a bow and found his hand again. I could almost picture his smile as he moved closer to me and guided me down the path towards his home.

After that, we continued deeper into the Quileute reservation, lost in hushed murmurs and the warmth passing between us, until we reached his house, padding along the slippery driveway. The balance in the grip of his hand was the only thing keeping me from falling.

Eli's house was just like most of those on the reservation, if not a little more fancy. A wall of tightly packed wood, black and rough rooftop, all finished off with tinted glass windows. Well, I thought they were tinted. But when I leaned close, I could see a tiny blotch of color…

Suddenly, the window was thrown open and a two hands shot out.

"BOO!"

I recoiled back in surprise, slipping slightly on the wet ground. Eli caught me calmly, steadying me slowly. He rolled his eyes and slid his hands to rest on my arms, relaxed as if this were just everyday business. I caught movement in the corner of my eye, blurred into the background. Turning my head, I watched as a head popped out of the window. "Hey guys!"

I followed the sound of the cheerful voice as a boy, probably around ten, rolled head first out the window. The kid stood, mud staining the knees of his jeans and edges of his t-shirt. He mumbled and brushed his hands on his jeans before jogging up to Eli and me, grinning the whole way.

"What, suddenly shy?" The kid stared at Eli as he spoke, his eyes darting to me as if he expected an instant introduction. I didn't comment or move, but watched Eli's set jaw move as he spoke.

"You were supposed to have gone home yesterday, Seth," He muttered in something that sounded close to a growl. "Why are you still here?"

I watched the boy's response, expecting him to cower back and run into the house. But he just kept grinning anyway, answering in the same cheerful tone with no show of fear. "To see your girly-friend! Duh!" The boy, whom Eli had called Seth, set two warm brown eyes on me. "Hi!"

The mood radiating off him was completely impossible to avoid. I returned his grin, hoping not to upset Eli by doing so. "Hey there." My eyes darted to Eli, evaluating the hard expression of his face.

He sighed. "This is my cousin, Seth. You know, Seth Clearwater? He's family to Harry, Sue, and Leah. Pretty sure your dad knows them…" He reached back, rubbing the back of his neck. "Uh. . .Yeah. Seth, Jordan. Jordan, Seth."

"Jordan!" Seth grabbed my hand and shook it wildly, dropping it a moment later. I rolled my shoulder and rubbed my arm, hoping that he hadn't popped it out of place. "It's so awesome that I get to meet you! I haven't heard much, but you sound so cool!"

I smiled awkwardly, looking away from Seth's hyper expression. "Yeah, I guess I could be. Thanks."

"So, is it true you really ran away?"

"Yeah, I did. But I didn't really run away, you see, I was just looking for-"

"A gang?" Seth's eyes widened.

"No, I wasn't looking for a gang. I was looking for my h-"

"So it's not true that you fought with the gangs? I've heard that they're rebelling the poor all around! Oh, it's horrible! The government isn't supporting our tribe but the people here don't realize so the gangs and stuff are piling up and starting to go back against the Elders! But the officials seem to have it under control. I mean, it can't-"

I was relieved that Eli cut Seth's rambling off with a huff of annoyance. "How 'bout we go biking now? _Before_ we drown?"

"YEAH!" Seth's scream blocked out my reply. Eli caught my amused smile though and forced his own grin, the smile returning to his eyes and lighting up his expression.

"C'mon," Elijah murmured to me. "We can get the faster bikes and head out of here before he talks us to death."

That sounded like a pretty good plan to me.

After three roll outs into the mud, four crashes, and five won races against Seth, night fell down upon us, and Eli decided that was the part of the date where he offered to walk me home. I'd accepted his offer, of course. So, we'd slowly made our way down the abandoned dirt road, covered head to toe with mud. His house wasn't far, just a twenty minute walk away if you took the shortcuts. Now we climbed up the porch, following the soft glow of a light by the door.

He stopped at the top of the doorstep, running a hand through his hair and turning to look at me. "Well…I uh, should get going. You know, just because Sam will probably try to shoot me now."

"How'd you know he was gonna do that?" I faked a disappointed pout. "It was supposed to be a surprise."

Eli stared at me, bewildered. "You're. . . You're kidding, right?"

I laughed lightly, waving my head. "Of course I'm kidding. Yeah, you probably should though, just in case. Thanks for inviting me Eli, it was awesome."

"Yeah, I don't know how many girls would willingly get that muddy in front of a guy." His eyes darted down to my mud-splattered arms and a smirk played on his lips.

"Guess I'm special then?"

"Jordan Uley, you are very special."

I was just about to reply to him when I noticed something; Eli's face was angled slightly, leaning towards mine. I stared at him, noticing really only his face and the brilliant green hue of his closing eyes. My heart pounded as I wasted a split second trying to think about what was happening. What if Nicole was watching? Or Sam? What if they saw? Would they be mad? Or would they be happy? What if. . . What if. . .

_Screw it_, I thought gently to myself. The next thing I knew, my eyelid fell shut and I was leaning up slightly until I felt his lips touch mine. The kiss only lasted a few seconds, but it was enough to make the blush rise to my face and my stomach to flip flop. Eli let out a relieved sigh and pulled his face away, bringing me into a hug. I wrapped my arms around him, still in slight shock as to what had just happened.

"Call me tomorrow, will you?" He murmured gently as the front door started to creak open.

"Of course I will." I smiled at him.

Eli nodded his head and waved his hand. "I'll be expecting it." He turned and hopped off the porch, yanking his hood up before jogging into the shadows.

Once he was gone and my thoughts had slowed, I slipped inside of the house. Sam was leaning in the doorway expectantly, his arms folded over his chest as he stared at me with a guilt-trip worthy expression. We both just stood there, staring at each other, until Sam's eyes traveled up to my head. I reached up absentmindedly, feeling the fuzzy hat still tucked on my head. For a second, I almost considered running back to Eli, letting him know he'd forgotten his hat. But I just couldn't find the words. Or remember how to move.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of awkward silence Sam cleared his throat and spoke. "So you had a good time?" The question seemed to have tons of emotions locked behind it. But I wasn't going to make this complicated.

"Yeah I had a great time, Sam."

Sam's throat moved as he gulped. His eyes looked almost…watery? He nodded and smiled at me, but his attempt at a smile looked horribly fake. "Good for you honey, I'm h-happy for you. You probably should go upstairs and shower before you head off to-to b-"

I raised my hands as he started to stutter, cutting Sam off. "What's wrong?"

He paused, staring at me. I arched an eyebrow. Obviously, Sam was bothered by something, whether he told me or not. He could use a couple acting classes.

"Nothing, I promise. Just go on to bed and I'll…talk to you in the morning." He angled his back towards me, heading the kitchen, raking his shaking fingers through his black hair. Clearly, he wasn't going to tell me what was wrong. But I took the hint.

Protective. Sam was being protective in an overemotional way. There was nothing much to do about a person who struggled with their emotions, especially when that person was your dad. I frowned, choking back my concern. I shrugged and then once again remembered that Eli had just kissed me. The memory brought a spark of giddiness into me and I almost skipped up the stairs as the bubbly feeling inside me took over.

Thirty minutes later, I was pulling the covers over my green apple scented, mud-free body. I was facing the window, images of the day rolling through my mind.

At one point, I gently touched my lips, trying to keep the smile off my face. There was no real reason not to. So instead of spending the night away thinking about him, which I probably would have, I just laid my head on his hat and tumbled into dreamless sleep.


End file.
